Ok lets have a good clean discussion on whats better to be a great driver or have the fastest car to win a race? You can't have both so don't go there. Keep the comments clear of dissing each other. Let's find out what people choose. I think I know but you tell me.

And please don't attack me or each other or I might just delete the post. This can get interesting... I would rather be a great driver.

You can also comment on what makes one driver better that another. You know, their ability or their demeanor.

I think you left out one key element. In my humble opinion, and I do mean humble, after three years of Retro racing I am just now starting to be competitive.

Fast is good, but if you can't drive it fast doesn't matter.

That being said it is my opinion that there are three key factors to winning races. First and most important is driving, second is setting up your car, the key factor I feel you left out. And third, "fast." I think you can be competitive with a fair motor but you have to and I emphasize that, set-up your car to get the most out of it (optimal performance and handling). One tiny detail, front or rear tires out of round or damaged, guide flag height, is your chassis tweaked and that is just scratching the surface of set-up. IMHO proper set-up contributes to better driving skills, so driving and set-up are key.

Great set-up and a"rocket" for a motor are all for naught if you can't drive it.

I can only use my personal experience racing Flexis.
I had three cars prepared in the box. They were rated by me and I started the race using my best car.
Bob next to me burned up his motor in the first heat.
I told him to go get my number two car and continue.
He did and after eight heats... won the race beating all seven entries including me... with my own car!
Handed my car back and said: "Good car, you should be using this one!"

On a punch bowl track a great car with an average driver will beat a great driver with an average car. On a flat or technical track a great driver with the average car will beat the great car with an average driver, and a great car with a great driver will beat everybody!

It is best to have the whole package for that track on that day. Car and driver. Not the fastest car is the winner just as the best driver is not always the winner. Car, body, chassis, tires, and driver is the whole package.

Besides, sometimes a really fast car is hard to drive in traffic and is just not a good lap getter because one is constantly catching and passing slower cars and drivers... who may be somewhat contrary.

Many races are won by the racer who stays out of trouble with a competitive car... I guess that's being a good driver, eh?

Jim Honeycutt

"I don't think I'm ever more 'aware' than I am right after I hit my thumb with a hammer." - Jack Handey [Deep Thoughts]

I've told this story before but in the early '90s, perhaps late '80s, we were running an Outlaw 12 class at Ga Hobby Center: Flexi-1 chassis, winged body, and an X12 Mura motor.

Bob Cozine and another ex-Champion of Chamblee employee were practicing their Outlaw 12s on the Purple Mile and Cozine was substantially faster than the other racer. The other racer told Bob he was getting discouraged by how uncompetitive he had been in the class lately and he asked if Bob would drive his car and let him drive Bob's car, for a little comparison.

Bob said, "Sure," and they swapped cars.

Within two laps Bob was several tenths faster than the other racer had been with his own car and the racer was several tenths slower than Bob had been with Bob's own now car. Says Cozine,"Hey, this is a pretty good car."

The other racer gave Bob his car back and said, "Well, I guess I know where the problem is and it's clearly not my car."

That should answer the original question...

tonyp and Tim Neja like this

Gregory Wells

Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap

Most guys by us could be a LOT better if they paid attention to the little things when preparing for a race. I’m amazed when I tech cars and see so many basic things just wrong. Everything from crooked bodies, unfree guides, lead wires long enough to set up 2 cars, and gear mesh’s that are brutal.

Get those things right and it will make the whole experience better.

I have also been beat by my own cars being loaners. Of course they were run by guys 30 plus years younger. Lol

Jerry Brady was a great racer and won many races. Most guys could not get his cars around the track but he could.